Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

An election campaign worker pulls boxes from an election campaign bus that depicts German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel outside CDU headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the opposition.

An election campaign worker pulls boxes from an election campaign bus that depicts German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel outside CDU headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the opposition.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

The Quadriga statue stands on top of the Brandenburg Gate silhouetted against dark clouds on September 19, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the German Christian Democrats (CDU) have a strong lead in polls over the German Social Democrats (SPD), their biggest rival, and other members of the opposition, though the election outcome could possibly force the two parties to form a coalition government.

The Quadriga statue stands on top of the Brandenburg Gate silhouetted against dark clouds on September 19, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the German Christian Democrats (CDU) have a strong lead in polls over the German Social Democrats (SPD), their biggest rival, and other members of the opposition, though the election outcome could possibly force the two parties to form a coalition government.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

A young woman walks past an election campaign billboard of the German Greens Party (Buendnis 90/Die Gruenen) co-candidate Juergen Trittin on September 19, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Trittin has come under fire after a document surfaced recently showing that he supported an initative to allow consensual sexual relations between children and adults back in the early day of the Greens Party in the 1990s. Critics have responded that the news of the initative is nothig new and that both Trittin and the Greens Party distanced themselves from that position long ago. Germany faces federal elections on September 22.

A young woman walks past an election campaign billboard of the German Greens Party (Buendnis 90/Die Gruenen) co-candidate Juergen Trittin on September 19, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Trittin has come under fire after a document surfaced recently showing that he supported an initative to allow consensual sexual relations between children and adults back in the early day of the Greens Party in the 1990s. Critics have responded that the news of the initative is nothig new and that both Trittin and the Greens Party distanced themselves from that position long ago. Germany faces federal elections on September 22.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

Cars drive past election campaign posters featuring German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel (R) and German Social Democrats (SPD) chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrueck on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the SPD, its biggest rival, and other members of the opposition.

Cars drive past election campaign posters featuring German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel (R) and German Social Democrats (SPD) chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrueck on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the SPD, its biggest rival, and other members of the opposition.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

People walk past election campaign posters featuring German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel (R) and German Social Democrats (SPD) chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrueck on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the SPD, its biggest rival, and other members of the opposition.

People walk past election campaign posters featuring German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel (R) and German Social Democrats (SPD) chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrueck on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the SPD, its biggest rival, and other members of the opposition.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

People gather next to an election campaign billboard of German Social Democrats (SPD) lead candidate Peer Steinbrueck on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the SPD has less than half the support in polls of the governing German Christian Democrats (CDU), though the election outcome could force the two parties to form a coalition.

People gather next to an election campaign billboard of German Social Democrats (SPD) lead candidate Peer Steinbrueck on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the SPD has less than half the support in polls of the governing German Christian Democrats (CDU), though the election outcome could force the two parties to form a coalition.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

German Free Democrats (FDP) lead candidate Rainer Bruederle (R) speaks to the media at FDP party headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The FDP faired disastrously in Bavarian state elections held the previous day and failed to get enough votes to retain seats in the Bavarian parliament. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and the FDP, which is the current German government coalition partner with the German Christian Democrats (CDU), is facing an uphill battle.

German Free Democrats (FDP) lead candidate Rainer Bruederle (R) speaks to the media at FDP party headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The FDP faired disastrously in Bavarian state elections held the previous day and failed to get enough votes to retain seats in the Bavarian parliament. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and the FDP, which is the current German government coalition partner with the German Christian Democrats (CDU), is facing an uphill battle.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

German Free Democrats (FDP) lead candidate Rainer Bruederle (R) and FDP party chairman Philipp Roesler stand in front of an FDP election campaign poster after they spoke to the media at FDP party headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The FDP faired disastrously in Bavarian state elections held the previous day and failed to get enough votes to retain seats in the Bavarian parliament. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and the FDP, which is the current German government coalition partner with the German Christian Democrats (CDU), is facing an uphill battle.

German Free Democrats (FDP) lead candidate Rainer Bruederle (R) and FDP party chairman Philipp Roesler stand in front of an FDP election campaign poster after they spoke to the media at FDP party headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The FDP faired disastrously in Bavarian state elections held the previous day and failed to get enough votes to retain seats in the Bavarian parliament. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and the FDP, which is the current German government coalition partner with the German Christian Democrats (CDU), is facing an uphill battle.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

German Free Democrats (FDP) lead candidate Rainer Bruederle (L) and FDP party chairman Philipp Roesler walk past an FDP election campaign poster as they arrive to speak to the media at FDP party headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The FDP faired disastrously in Bavarian state elections held the previous day and failed to get enough votes to retain seats in the Bavarian parliament. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and the FDP, which is the current German government coalition partner with the German Christian Democrats (CDU), is facing an uphill battle.

German Free Democrats (FDP) lead candidate Rainer Bruederle (L) and FDP party chairman Philipp Roesler walk past an FDP election campaign poster as they arrive to speak to the media at FDP party headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The FDP faired disastrously in Bavarian state elections held the previous day and failed to get enough votes to retain seats in the Bavarian parliament. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and the FDP, which is the current German government coalition partner with the German Christian Democrats (CDU), is facing an uphill battle.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

German Free Democrats (FDP) lead candidate Rainer Bruederle (L) and FDP party chairman Philipp Roesler walk past an FDP election campaign poster as they arrive to speak to the media at FDP party headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The FDP faired disastrously in Bavarian state elections held the previous day and failed to get enough votes to retain seats in the Bavarian parliament. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and the FDP, which is the current German government coalition partner with the German Christian Democrats (CDU), is facing an uphill battle.

German Free Democrats (FDP) lead candidate Rainer Bruederle (L) and FDP party chairman Philipp Roesler walk past an FDP election campaign poster as they arrive to speak to the media at FDP party headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The FDP faired disastrously in Bavarian state elections held the previous day and failed to get enough votes to retain seats in the Bavarian parliament. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and the FDP, which is the current German government coalition partner with the German Christian Democrats (CDU), is facing an uphill battle.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

A picture of German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel displayed on the side of a CDU election campaign bus peeks through among CDU campaign workers outside CDU headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the opposition.

A picture of German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel displayed on the side of a CDU election campaign bus peeks through among CDU campaign workers outside CDU headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the opposition.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

'Now it's about the whole thing' onto an election campaign billboard that depicts lead candidiate of the German Free Democrats (FDP) Rainer Bruederle at FDP party headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The FDP faired disastrously in Bavarian state elections held the previous day and failed to get enough votes to retain seats in the Bavarian parliament. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and the FDP, which is the current German government coalition partner with the German Christian Democrats (CDU), is facing an uphill battle.

'Now it's about the whole thing' onto an election campaign billboard that depicts lead candidiate of the German Free Democrats (FDP) Rainer Bruederle at FDP party headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The FDP faired disastrously in Bavarian state elections held the previous day and failed to get enough votes to retain seats in the Bavarian parliament. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and the FDP, which is the current German government coalition partner with the German Christian Democrats (CDU), is facing an uphill battle.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel poses with leading CDU board members outside CDU headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the opposition.

German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel poses with leading CDU board members outside CDU headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the opposition.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel waves while standing with leading CDU board members outside CDU headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the opposition.

German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel waves while standing with leading CDU board members outside CDU headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the opposition.

Germany Enters Final Week Before Elections

Sean Gallup

German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel stands among CDU campaign volunteers while standing on the doorstep of a CDU elections campaign bus outside CDU headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the opposition.

German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel stands among CDU campaign volunteers while standing on the doorstep of a CDU elections campaign bus outside CDU headquarters on September 16, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Germany faces federal elections on September 22 and so far the CDU has a strong lead in polls over the opposition.